Dash panel



J. W, GREIG Sept. 15, 1953 DASH PANEL Filed Jan. 19, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 15, 1953 DASH PANEL James W; Greig, Detroit, Mich.,assigner to Woodall Industries', Inc., Detroit, Mich., a oorporation ofMichigan Application January 19, 1951, Serial No. 206.877

(Cl. J8-2) 4 Glaims.v

This invention relates to an improved automobile dash panel andparticularly to a combined dash panel and air chamber assembly.

An object is to provide an automobile dash panel which includes as anintegral part thereof a plenum chamber adapted to communicate with asource of air such as a heater or fresh air intake to receive airtherefrom and provided with suitable air discharge outlets.

Heretofore it has been the common practice tc provide dash panels andplenum chambers as distinct and separate elements though the plenumchamber might be mounted upon the dash panel for support. It has alsobeen common practice to provide dash panels of a plurality of layers orlaminations of material secured together to form the complete assembly.In one common form of dash panel there was an outer finish layer ofcomposition fibrous material to which was sesured one or more layers ofinsulation material.

In the dash panel of this invention the plenum chamber constitutes anintegral part ci the dash panel itself. In one embodiment two adjacentlayers of the material which make up the dash panel have opposed areasspread apart forming the plenum chamber therebetween. One or more intakeducts extend through one of the layers to deliver air into the chamberand air discharge ducts extend through the other of such layers for thedischarge of air from the chamber.

Such plenum chamber may be formed between the outer nish layer and thecoextensive overlying insulation layer. Ii the insulation layer whichconstitutes one side wall of the chamber is formed of particularlyloosely integrated material it may have its inner surface throughout thechamber covered with an impervious sheet secured to the finish layerabout the boundary of the chamber. One of said layers may be formed oireadily deformable material and bumped out to provide chamber space.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention the dash panel is alaminated structure comprising an outer nish layer of compositionasphalt impregnated fibrous material and the insulation layer is aloosely integrated iibrous material. These layers are secured togetheradjacent the margins of the panel but they are spaced apart throughout aportion of the interior expanse of the panel to provide the plenumchamber. The deformable layer may be bumped out away from the insulationlayer to provide the chamber space and such bumped out portion mayexhibit a bottom wall provided with air outlet passageways.

Other embodiments of the invention may be provided also within the scopetherewith and will more fully appear from the following specification,claims and accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective of adash panel partly broken away illustrated as installed in position in avehicle body partially outlined;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the l-ine 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. I;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View similar to that of Fig. 3 illustrating aslightly modied form of construction; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective. of a dash panel embodying the invention.

In the drawing a part of the interior of an automobile body is shown indotted outline in Fig. 1, wherein the door is indicated as I0 and leadsup to the fire wall or upright dash partition I2 which separates the.body from the enginecompar-tment underneath the hood. It is customary toprovide a dash panel assembly which is secured tor this upright wall IZand such dash panel assembly ordinarilyV is made. up of a plurality oflaminations of material. Such panel includes an outer iinish layer whichis exposed to the inside of the body and is here indicated by thernumeral I4 and an insulation layer which is ordinarily coextensive withthe nish layer and lies against the steel sheet I2.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 three coeXtensive laminatonsof material are illustrated. There is the finish layer Id which may beof an asphalt composition iibrous character such as commercial K-Bboard, which is a rugged inexpensive relatively strong deformable sheet.Adjacent to this finish layer is a layer of asphalt saturated felt I6which serves as a cushion and insulation layer. Adjacent to the feltlayer may be a layer of fiberglass or rockwool I8 which provides goodinsulation characteristics. These several layers are substantiallycoextensive and adhesively secured together.

In the dash panel of the instant invention, the nish layer I4 is bumpedout of its normal plane to provide a portion 2) spaced from the layersI6 and I8 to provide an air chamber within such bumped out area. Thisportion 29 has its bottom wall provided with perforations 22 forming airducts for the passage of air therethrough into the interior of thevehicle body. The saturated felt layer IE is adhesively secured to thefinish layer surrounding the bumped out portion to provide a sealthereabove. The insulating layers I6 and I8 are provided with suitableair duct openings therethrough into the interior of the chamber. Asillustrated in the drawing, the sheet metal wall l2 is provided withthimbles 24 extending therethrough and air pipes 28, 30 and 32 extendthrough said thimbles and through the laminations I8 and I6 into thechamber. Air pipes 28 and 32 may be cold air pipes leading from a freshair intake. Air pipe 30 may be an air pipe leading from a heater.

In Fig. 4 the dash is shown as made up of an outer iinish layer I4 and aloosely7 integrated layer of insulation material such as berglass 34.This insulation material is very loosely integrated and' to provide asuitable impervious liner for the chamber overlying the loose insulationsheet, there is provided a suitable sheet of saturated paper or plastic36. Such sealing sheet may be secured in place to the outer finish layerI4 and to the insulation layer.

It will be seen that this dash includes as a self,- oontained portionthe plenum chamber and that the dash may be attached as an assembly tothe metal wall I2 and the air ducts hooked up as illustrated.

What I claim is:

1. An automobile dash panel adapted to overlie the fire Wall whichseparates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment of anautomobile body, said panel comprising an outer finish laminationadapted for exposure Within the passenger compartment and acomplementary lamination of insulation material secured to the nishlamination and adapted to overlie the nre wall, said laminations beingsubstantially coextensive and substantially coextensive with thatportion of the re wall within the passenger oompartment of the body,said laminations being spread apart throughout complementary areasproviding an air chamber therebetween, said chamber provided with an airintake passageway thereinto from the engine compartment and with an airexhaust opening leading therefrom intov the passenger compartment.

2. In an automobile body having 'an engine compartment separated from apassenger compartment by a fire wall, a dash panel comprising an outernish lamination of deformable material and a lamination of insulationmaterial secured to the nish lamination, said two laminations beingsubstantially coextensive and substantially coextensive with the re wallWithin the passenger compartment, said finish lamination being deformedout of its normal plane and away from the insulation laminationthroughout an area spaced inwardly from the outer margin of the panelproviding an air chamber between said laminations throughout said area,said laminations being sealed together surrounding said area, saidchamber provided with an air intake leading thereinto through the rewall and with an air outlet passageway through the deformed portion ofthe nish laminations.

3. An automobile dash panel of the character dened in claim numbered 2characterized in that the nish lamination is so deformed as to exhibit abottom wall for the chamber which bottom wall projects normalto theplane of the dash panel and is provided with a plurality of air outletpassageways therethrough.

4. An automobile dash panel adapted to overlie the re wall whichseparates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment of anautomobile body, said panel comprising an outer finish laminationadapted for exposure within the passenger compartment and acomplementary lamination of insulation material secured to the finishlamination and adapted to overlie the re wall, said laminations beingsubstantially coextensive and substantially coextensive with thatportion of the re wall within the passenger compartment of the body,said laminations being spread apart throughout complementary areasproviding an air chamber therebetween, said chamber provided with an airintake passageway thereinto and with air exhaust openings leadingtherefrom into the passenger compartment, said complementary laminationof insulation material consisting of two layers of material one being alayer of loosely integrated brous material and the other being a, layerof densely integrated brous asphalt material, said last mentioned layerforming with the finish layer the opposed walls of the chamber, saidfinish layer being deformed away from the opposite wall of the chamberto denne the chamber.

JAMES W. GREIG.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,643,279 Kress et al. Sept. 20, 1927 1,759,001 Cherry et alMay 20, 1930 2,189,406 Roberts Feb. 6, 1940 2,306,796 Staley et al Dec.29, 1942 2,515,950 Dingman July 18, 1950 2,550,353 Hopnger Apr. 24, 1951

